Military compensation
This pay-grade table shows official monthly base pay by years of service. If you are comparing offers, the key is total compensation: base pay plus BAS and location-adjusted housing value can materially shift what a civilian salary must replace.
Data vintage: DFAS basic pay (2025) and DTMO BAH averages (2026).
| Years of service | Monthly base pay | Annual base pay |
|---|---|---|
| 2 years or less | $3,277 | $39,319 |
| 2+ years | $3,606 | $43,272 |
| 3+ years | $3,765 | $45,180 |
| 4+ years | $3,920 | $47,038 |
| 6+ years | $4,081 | $48,967 |
| 8+ years | $4,444 | $53,327 |
| 10+ years | $4,585 | $55,022 |
| 12+ years | $4,859 | $58,306 |
| 14+ years | $4,943 | $59,310 |
| 16+ years | $5,003 | $60,041 |
| 18+ years | $5,075 | $60,898 |
| 20+ years | $5,075 | $60,898 |
| 22+ years | $5,075 | $60,898 |
| 24+ years | $5,075 | $60,898 |
| 26+ years | $5,075 | $60,898 |
| 28+ years | $5,075 | $60,898 |
| 30+ years | $5,075 | $60,898 |
| 32+ years | $5,075 | $60,898 |
| 34+ years | $5,075 | $60,898 |
| 36+ years | $5,075 | $60,898 |
| 38+ years | $5,075 | $60,898 |
| 40+ years | $5,075 | $60,898 |
For a typical E-6 member (using the 6+ years row), estimated monthly military compensation is $7,105 when you include BAS and the national average BAH-with-dependents benchmark.
That is roughly $85,260/yearbefore adding healthcare and retirement advantages.
Use the Pay Translator to model housing, tax treatment, and benefits gaps so you negotiate with a complete compensation target instead of salary alone.
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